Cracker Barrel Let-Down

On our way back from Michigan (hanging out with Jake and Emilie for the New Year), Carol and me stopped at a Cracker Barrel. Having never eaten at a Cracker Barrel before, I was somewhat excited to see what all the fuss was about. Here are some observations from my one (and only?) visit to Cracker Barrel:

1. It's a gift shop that happens to be a restaurant.
2. There's hardly anything on the menu that doesn't have meat.
3. All the food is roughly the same color: tan.
4. I didn't see any seating by fireside, as is advertised.

Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with my Cracker Barrel experience. I'll be okay if I never return. Any Carcker Barrel fans out there that want to defend the establishment?

The Albany Park Neighborhood

North Park University and the Seminary that shares the same campus, is just north of the Albany Park boundary line. But my apartment is technically in Albany Park, which lands me in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the entire country. This morning I traveled south along Kedzie Avenue to run some errands. Every time I walk down this street I'm reminded how diverse the area is, and how much I am in the minority as a white person. I feel like I engage in a cross-cultural experience every time I walk to the bank, make a $2.95 falafel sandwich run, or get my hair cut by Shami, who immigrated to this country from Iran some 30 years ago (52.1% of Albany Park residents were born outside of the U.S. That's a lot!). And whites alone make up only about a quarter of the neighborhood's population. There are no trendy coffee shops, clothing boutiques, or hair salons in Albany Park (as far as I know!). But what you will find is just about every ethnicity represented and cruise to match. More than anything, what I've noticed is that Albany Park is a place where people actually live and raise families. It's not one of those trendy Chicago neighborhoods.

Just a Thought...

In addition to working at Trader Joe's, I babysit for a family with two children. Johanna is 4 (we're also birthday twins!) and Louie is 8. I enjoy doing it and I love the relationship Carol and I have with the family. The family is Jewish, and Lauren the mother, seems always willing to talk about her family's faith tradition and its customs. She also asks me about things related to seminary and serving a church. The overlap between our two Abrahamic faiths has been amazing to explore. Recently, Carol and I served with Lauren and Louie at a soup kitchen sponsored by their synagogue. And it got me thinking... A work of service is an incredible way of bringing people together, especially if people are divided along religious lines. What a great way to foster friendship and charitable dialogue to further deeper understanding and empathy. What if this same tactic was used to unite people of differing political allegiances? What if the U.S. Senate built a house for Habitat for Humanity or something before trying to vote on an important piece of legislation? Would this help to make things less divisive? Just something I've been thinking about. Thanks for reading.

The Best Christmas Gift Ever!

This Christmas I received many generous, thoughtful gifts. However, one gift in particular stands out among the rest...

SMITTENS!!!



If you're still wondering what on earth Smittens are click HERE

War Against the Roaches

"Roaches check in... [cocks gun]
[cocks gun] ... But they don't check out."



I was awoken this morning feeling like Will Smith's character from Men in Black.

Two days ago I was startled to find a cockroach scurrying around inside my kitchen sink. This morning I woke up to something tickling my arm. IT WAS A COCKROACH!!! I lunged out of bed and quickly found a shoe lying on the ground and made direct contact with the roach... in the middle of my bed (I think I need to wash my sheets).

Lessons of Compassion from the 'Secular' World

Since I started working at Trader Joe's a couple months ago, I've several times been astonished by the lessons of compassion that I've learned from my co-workers, as well as stories included in the company's weekly internal bulletin. Here are a few stories I'd like to share:

The first lesson of compassion I learned was from my supervisor Amanda (the same supervisor that recently bailed me out when I accidentally made the incorrect change for my unemployed Psychic friend). She told me about how someone knocked off her car's side-view mirror. The person who hit her car was responsible enough to leave a note. When Amanda called, she told her that her gift for "doing the right thing" was not having to pay for for the damage. Amanda's only request was, "keep doing what's right."

Another lesson I learned second hand was about a women who was shopping at a Trader Joe's store when she fainted. Turns out the women had suffered from fainting spells for much of her life. She had come to the store via bus, but a few of the employees called a cab and stuck twenty dollars in her pocket for the ride home.

Another women at a different Trader Joe's store was caught in an embarrassing moment when her food stamps were not sufficient to pay for all her groceries. Flustered, but before she could finish telling her children that they needed to put some of the food back, the employee discreetly said that the remainder of her groceries were paid for and whisked out the door with all her groceries in hand.

The Most Ironic/Contradictory American Invention

Having spent an extended amount of time in Walgreens today, I have decided that the modern pharmacy is the most ironic/contradictory invention that American capitalism has ever created (I'm not knocking capitalism, just saying...). A pharmacy, as I understand it, is a place where sick people go to get their prescriptions filled so they can take medicine that will make them better, or at least less sick. Unfortunately, very often it's the pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies themselves that stand to benefit the most, not sick people. Turns out, a balanced diet and regular exercise are prescriptions that don't earn pharmaceutical companies much money. The allure of a quick fix (a magic pill, so to speak), however, has the power to turn a generous profit. Furthermore, have you ever considered the "food" that is sold at pharmacies such as Walgreens or CVS? The grocery aisle looks remarkably similar to the convenience food-mart found along side many gas stations. Junk food galore! But it's cheaply made food sold at a premium price. Again, profit seems to win over making people healthy. But as long as people continue to buy unhealthy food they are more likely to continue filling their medical prescriptions at the local pharmacy. It's a vicious cycle, but it's one that undoubtedly generates a lot of revenue for the modern American pharmacy.